My Little Runaway
by laoisbabe
Summary: Jack's daughter takes off leading her and him into a whole lot of trouble. Final chapters up. Let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1

**RUNAWAY**

Jack is sitting in his office. It's early morning and he peers through the glass and notices a few of the team already at their desks. Danny is hovering around Samantha's desk, holding a cup of coffee and chatting. Jack puts his head back down and continues working on the outstanding paperwork of their last case. He is startled when the phone on his desk rings.

"Malone," he answers tiredly.

"Sir, your ex-wife is on the line. She says it's urgent," the receptionist tells him.

"Put her through. Thanks," Jacks replies. "Maria? What's so urgent?" he asks.

"Oh, Jack! Thank God you're there. Is Hanna with you?" Maria asks anxiously.

"No. Why would she be with me? What's going on?" Jack asks, sensing Maria's worry.

"I was just hoping she'd gone to see you," Maria replies, stifling a sob.

"Well she didn't. I haven't spoken with her since last weekend," Jack says curtly.

"She's gone, Jack."

"Gone? Maria, what the hell is going on?" Jack demands.

"She didn't come home yesterday. I've called around her friends. They haven't seen her. They tell me she didn't go to school yesterday either," Maria explains.

"Why the hell did you wait until now to call me?" Jack asks.

"I thought she'd be home by now," Maria replies.

"Okay, don't panic. I'll be on the next flight. I'll call you from the airport," Jack tells her before hanging up. He takes a deep breath, composes himself and then dials Van Doren's office. He explains the situation. She tells him to take whatever time he needs and wishes him the best of luck.

He quickly grabs his overcoat and walks with purpose to the bull pen where Danny and Samantha are sitting.

"I have to go to Chicago for a while. Viv will be in charge while I'm gone," he says coldly.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asks, realising how out of character Jacks actions were.

"I hope so," Jack replies, not divulging anything. He turns and walks away without saying another word.

Sam and Danny look at each other quizzically. Danny shrugs his shoulders and returns to his desk. Sam, on the other hand, feels somewhat put out by Jack's reluctance to share with her whatever was going on. She bit her lip and tried not to seem annoyed.

-----------------------------

Jack swings by his apartment, grabs some overnight gear and then drives from there straight to the airport. An hour later he's on a flight to O'Hare. The flight is uneventful. He spends most of it trying to put images of his injured or dead little girl out of his head. He is grateful when they land and immediately exits arrivals and hails a cab.

The journey was slow, traffic was heavy. It always pained him to visit Maria's new home. She was living their dream, the only problem was he wasn't part of that dream anymore. The house was located in a quiet, leafy suburb, not far from the girl's school. It was a two storey detached property, with large front and rear gardens. Everything he had ever wanted for his family. How he regretted that he couldn't be part of it.

The taxi pulled up outside the house. Jack paid the driver and walked hesitantly up the driveway. He rang the doorbell. A tall, fair-haired man answered the door. This must be Mark, Jack thought to himself. Maria had mentioned her new boyfriend once or twice in conversation. He wasn't what he had expected. He was probably a little older than Jack, tanned and handsome. He was about to introduce himself when Kate, his youngest daughter, pushes past Mark and throws her arms around Jack.

"Daddy!" she shouts, hugging him tightly.

"Hello, Kitten," Jack says, returning the intensity of the hug.

"You must be Jack," Mark says, extending his hand. "Come on in."

Jack shakes his hand and enters the house, his arm around his daughter's shoulder. Maria comes out of the kitchen in to the hallway.

"Thanks for coming," she says awkwardly, not knowing whether to hug Jack or not. She settles on a kiss on the cheek.

"Have you heard from her?" Jack wonders.

Maria shakes her head in a defeated manner. She cannot look Jack in the eye. She blames herself.

"Have you called the police?" Jack asks.

"Yes, they came by earlier. I gave them pictures and any information I thought would help," Maria tells him.

"Good. I have some contacts with Missing Person's here in Chicago. I'll give them a call," he tells her. Then he pauses before asking "Do you think she's runaway?"

"I don't know. Maybe? We've not been seeing eye to eye lately. I was putting it down to teenage rebellion. Now I don't know. She started hanging around with this older boy. I didn't like it and I told her it had to stop."

"And did it?" Jack asks.

"For a while, it looked like it had, but now I don't know," Maria tells him.

"Who is this kid?" Jack enquires.

"Kevin Dillon. He's 17 and he used to go to the same school as Hanna. He quit last semester," Maria explains.

"Seventeen!! Why am I only hearing about this now? She's fourteen years old, for God's sake. I have a right to know about these things," he shouts angrily.

"I'm sorry. I thought I could handle it," Maria replies, trying to hold back the tears. Mark puts his arm around her shoulder.

"Well, you sure handled it, didn't you?" Jack snaps, glaring at Maria.

"Look, Jack, I don't think it's fair to blame Maria for all of this," Mark interjects.

"This has nothing to do with you," Jack retorts.

Maria says nothing. She just looks despairingly at Jack. Mark stops himself from getting into an argument with Jack. Now is not the time.

"I need to talk to Kate for a few minutes, if that's OK," Jack says, lowering his tone and trying to control his temper.

Maria and Mark return to the kitchen, Mark trying to comfort Maria. Jack takes Kate to the living room. He wants to find out if she knows anything about where Hanna might be or to whom she might go.

"Did you hear her talking to Kevin or talking on the phone? Did she ever mention getting out of here, leaving for a bit, even if it sounded like she was joking?" Jack asks.

"No. Not really. I know she misses New York and her friends. So do I. She's always telling her friends here that once she's 18 she's moving back there," Kate tells her Dad.

"If she did go back now, do you have any idea who she might call or stay with?" Jack enquires.

"She always planned going back to you," Kate tells him, looking up at him with her hazel eyes. Jack smiles back at her. How he misses not seeing them every day.

"Any one else?" Jack asks, hoping she knew.

"Maybe Amy Price. They were best friend in school in New York. Daddy, do you think you'll find her?" Kate asks, worried for her big sister.

"Of course I will," he answers, putting his arm around her and pulling her close. He looks vacantly into space, his heart aching at the thought of his little girl, out there somewhere, alone. He prayed she was safe. He hadn't prayed for a long time, but it never hurt to ask for help. He trembled at the thought of what could happen to a young girl alone in the city. He'd seen it all too often. Too many times he had reassured frantic parents that he would find their child. Too often he had returned to them bearing devastating news. And now the tide had turned, he was one of those frantic parents. His stomach churned. This can't be happening, he thought, pulling Kate even closer.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that evening, Jack asked Maria to drop him in to the FBI building in the city. He reported to the reception desk and asked for Barry Gibson, an agent he had worked with previously for a number of years. Gibson, like Malone, was ex-military. They had a lot in common and a lot of respect for each other. Jack had always looked up to Gibson, who was now edging towards retirement. It had been almost 6 years since they'd last seen each other.

Gibson strided through the lobby towards reception. He was a large man and managed to cover a lot of ground, with few steps. He threw his arms around Jack and slapped him on the back, greeting him with great affection.

"Jack Malone, it's great to see you. Let me look at you," he says, grabbing Jack by the shoulders and pushing him backwards.

"Hey, Barry. Good to see you too. You haven't changed a bit," he lied.

"Yea right," Gibson mocked. "Let's not mention the extra fifteen pounds or the white hair, right?"

"Okay, ditto," Jack laughs.

"So, what brings you to Chicago?" Gibson asks.

"I need your help. Hanna's missing," Jack says, getting straight to the point.

"Hanna, your Hanna?" Barry asks.

Jack nods, afraid to speak for fear his voice would crack from the emotion he was bottling up.

"Come with me," Gibson says, guiding Jack towards the elevator and up to his office.

Jack takes a seat and Gibson sits at his desk.

"OK! Tell me everything," he says.

Jack relays everything to Barry, from the divorce to the boyfriend, the disagreements at home, the moods, everything. They talk for a long while. Barry agrees to get a local team to check the bus and train stations to see if anyone remembered her. He asks Jack to speak to teachers, friends and neighbours. He agrees.

It was getting late. He thanked Gibson and decided to return to Maria's for the night. She had asked him to stay with them while he was in Chicago. It felt a bit weird being in the same house as his ex-wife and her lover, but he was glad to be able to kiss is baby girl goodnight for the first time in months. She had already gone to bed by the time he got back. Maria rushed to answer the door, hoping Jack had news. She knew by the sullen look and hunched shoulders that he didn't.

"There's some lasagne in the refrigerator if you're hungry," she offers.

I'm not really hungry, thanks," he replies. "Can you make me a list of Hanna's friends and teachers for the morning. I'll grab a few hours sleep and go and see them first thing."

"Sure. Goodnight," Maria says, as Jack slowly climbs the stairs.

"Goodnight," he mumbles without turning around.

He looks in at his sleeping daughter and kisses her softly on the forehead. At least she is sleeping safely tonight. His thoughts turn to Hanna and wonders where she is sleeping tonight.

For Jack, sleep doesn't come easy that night. Despite his exhaustion, it's difficult to fall asleep. Whenever he closes his eyes he sees her, his beautiful little girl. Where had the years gone? It only seemed like yesterday that the midwife handed him this tiny little bundle with a mop of dark brown hair. He remembered how awkward he felt when he held his child for the first time. He remembered how proud he was. He promised her in that moment, to keep her safe and look after her. He had failed. She needed him and he wasn't there. Now, each time he closed his eyes, as he neared sleep, he would see her face. But it wasn't her. He was remembering children, who in the course of his work, he hadn't been able to save. But in his dreams, they came to him, battered, broken, bearing his daughter's face. He would wake with a start and sit up sweating. This happened to him several times during the night. Where was she?

The next morning Jack was down in the kitchen early, before anyone else had risen. He made a pot of coffee and ate some cereal. Just after 7.15am, his cell phone rang.

"Malone," he answered wearily.

"Jack, it's Barry. We might have something. A girl matching Hanna's description, bought a ticket to New York at the Greyhound Terminal. The guy she was with bought it actually, but the cashier remembered her. We're pulling the CCTV footage as we speak."

"Great. I'll join you if that's OK?" Jack suggests.

"No problem. See you at the office in about an hour."

Jack writes a note for Maria and calls for a cab. It takes longer to get to the FBI building this morning. Rush hour traffic is just as bad as in New York. Gibson meets him at reception and shows him to the tech room. They watch the footage of Greyhound customers taken two nights ago. They have watched only 20 minutes of footage when Jack shouts,

"Stop. Wind that back."

The technician reacts immediately and rewinds the tape.

"There. That's her," Jacks says, pointing to a young girl in a denim jacket, standing behind a teenage boy. He doesn't know whether to feel glad that they finally have a lead or sick at the thought of his little girl taking off with a boy.

"Where did they buy the ticket to?" Jack asks.

"The cashier wasn't 100 percent sure but thinks it was New York," Gibson tells him.

"Let's hope so. I had better check my messages at home, in case she's been trying to reach me," Jack says, excusing himself from the room. He called his answering machine. To his disappointment, there was no message.

He thanks Barry for his help and tells him that he has to return to New York. He prayed that Hanna would contact him, but even if she didn't, at least he would be on home turf and would have the help of his team.

Jack briefly returns to Maria's house and updates her on the latest news. He explains that he has to return to New York and promises to find their daughter. He kisses Katie goodbye and hugs her and tells her not to worry, that he'll find her big sister.

--------------------------

Jack manages to get a seat on the afternoon flight to JFK. He decides to go straight to his apartment, hoping that when he gets there, he'll find Hanna sitting in the steps. Once again disappointment. He goes inside and checks his machine. Nothing. A quick change of shirt and he leaves the apartment and heads to the office. When he gets there, he makes his way straight to the bull pen.

"Hey, Jack!" Vivienne says, a little surprised to see him.

"Hey," he replies sullenly.

"Everything OK in Chicago?" Sam enquires, not really sure whether it is appropriate to ask him in front of everyone.

"Hanna's runaway," Jack blurts out, his stern demeanour beginning to falter. He cannot look any of them in the eye.

"Oh my God, Jack. I'm sorry," Sam replies, suppressing her first instinct to hug him.

Jack just shakes his head and takes a deep breath to compose himself.

"I'm going to need your help."

Each of the team pull up a chair as Jack begins to tell them what he's found out so far. His team vows to do their best to find her. Jack provides them with a list of former neighbours and her former school friends, people Hanna trusted and might contact. It was only while attempting to compile this that he realised how little he knew of his daughter's life outside the family setting. Guilt consumed him. It was no secret that he spent too much time working. This was what ultimately ended his marriage. He would forever feel guilty for not being there for his kids and for the disintegration of his family. Hanna had made it clear on so many occasions that she blamed him. How it pained him that she had come to New York and not even tried to contact him, the ultimate slap in the face. He had to find her. He had to make amends.

The team's investigation got into full swing. Martin and Vivienne spoke to Hanna's former teachers and schoolmates. None of them had heard from her. Jack and Elena called to former neighbours, where they used to live. None of them had seen or heard from her either.

Danny and Samantha stayed at the office. They were following up the one lead that they did have. They knew she had taken the bus, which should have arrived in to Penn Station at 11.30pm the previous night. They had security footage and were examining it, hoping to spot her. Danny was also running a background check on Kevin Dillon and his family. Jack and Elena returned to the office later that evening, hoping the others had netter luck than they had. He was disappointed when no one seemed to have any positive news. The security footage was a bust. Viv and Martin returned with nothing much. Just as Jack was beginning to lose hope, Samantha comes walking across the room, waving a sheet of paper.

"I might have something," she says hopefully.

"Kevin Dillon has an older brother, Chris Dillon. He has an address close to 33rd and 8th. And guess what? Christoper Patrick Dillon has a sheet, including robbery, and drugs convictions. In fact, he's just completed a 2 year stint in County. He was released on parole 6 weeks ago."

"Good work, Sam. You come with me. I think it's time we paid Mr. Dillon a visit," Jack says, putting back on his coat and walking toward the elevator.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack and Sam pull up outside a run down red-bricked building. It's getting dark and the street lights have begun to light up. They climb the half dozen or so steps up to the main entrance. There are a number of doorbells outside the door. Looking down the list of names they find Chris Dillon, living in No.7. They ring a neighbour's bell to gain entry without spooking Mr. Dillon. They enter the building and find No. 7 on the first floor. The inside of the building is just as unkempt as the outside. They knock on the door of Dillon's apartment.

"Who is it?" the occupant asks.

"F.B.I. Open up, we'd like to talk to you for a moment," Jack calls through the closed door.

The door opens a crack and Jack shows his I.D. badge through the opening. They young male occupant takes the chain off the door and stands back and lets the agents in. Jack is surprised to see that the place is pretty well kept, not at all what he had expected.

"So, what can I do for you guys?" the young man asks.

"Are you Chris Dillon?" Samantha enquires.

"Yes, why?" he answers.

"Your brother is missing. Has he been in contact with you in the last few days?" she asks.

"I got a call from him about a week ago. He said he was thinking of coming to New York. He'd quit school and was going to look for a job," Dillon tells her.

"Did he say what kind of job?" Jack asks.

"No, nothing specific. He did say that he might have something in the pipeline though," Dillon tells him.

"We believe he got here last night. He hasn't tried to contact you?" Jack asks, looking around the room, hoping to find something.

"No, not yet. Is Kev in some kind of trouble?" Dillon asks the two agents.

"We hope not. There are just a few people worried about him. If he does make contact, can you give me a call?" Jack says, handing him his business card.

"Sure," Chris replies, accepting the card.

Jack and Sam thank him and leave the apartment.

"So, what do you think?" Sam asks Jack.

"I believe him. Doesn't help us much though. If they're not hooking up with the brother, then where are they going?" Jack asks, as he sits into their car and starts the engine.

On the way back to the office, there was little conversation in the car. Jack drove, hardly saying a word the whole journey. Sam was feeling uncomfortable with the silence, but she knew how worried Jack was. She could see it was eating him up inside. She finally conjured up the courage to ask,

"Are you OK, Jack?"

"Sorry? What did you say?" Jack asks, as the sound of Sam's voice snaps him out of his own little world.

"I just asked if you were alright," Sam tells him.

"Honestly? Not really," he admits. "I've never been so scared in my life."

"She'll be fine, Jack," Sam says, trying to reassure him.

"Will she? What if she's not? What if we don't find her? Am I going to spend the rest of my life looking into stranger's eyes and wondering if that's her?" Jack ponders out loud, his emotions coming to the fore.

Sam puts her hand on his, a gesture to remind him that he's not alone. He just glances at her and continues to drive.

Just then, Sam's cell phone rings.

"Sam? We've just had a hit on Kevin's ATM card. It was used at an ATM in The Bronx. I'll send you the location," Danny informs her.

"Thanks, Danny," Sam replies before hanging up.

Sam tells Jack and they change direction and head for The Bronx. They quickly find the ATM and check it out. There was nothing of note to be found so Jack then decides to canvas some of the shops in the area, to see if any of them recognised the photo of either Kevin or Hanna.

After about an hour of doing this, they enter a deli, about 3 blocks south of the ATM. Once again they show the proprietor the pictures of the two teens. Expecting to hear the same negative answer they'd been hearing for the last hour, they are surprised when he the gentleman behind the counter recognises Hanna.

"Yeah, she was in this morning. Nice kid. Bought a couple of sandwiches and cokes, if I'm not mistaken," he tells the agents.

"Was she with anyone?" Jack asks.

"There were two guys waiting for her outside at the window there," he says, pointing to the large window looking out on to the street. "That could be one of them," he says as points to Kevin's photo," though I didn't get a good look. He had a hood up. Seemed like he and the other guy were arguing while she was in here and they stopped immediately when she went out."

"The other guy, can you describe him?" Jack asks.

"Hispanic, I think, mid-twenties, about the same height as this kid," he says, meaning Kevin. "They waited outside so I didn't really pass much heed."

"That's OK. You've been very helpful. You didn't happen to see in which direction they went?" Sam asks.

"Turned right, from what I remember," the shopkeeper says.

"Thats great. Thanks," Sam tells him, putting away her notebook.

Sam and Jack discuss what they've found out on the way back to the office. They phone the office from the car. Martin tells them that they had been sent the footage from the security camera at the ATM. Jack informs him that they are on their way back and that they'd be there soon.

When they arrive back, Jack heads straight to the tech room. Sam goes out to her desk. Viv is at her own desk, doing a background check on Chris Dillon. She turns to Sam and enquires,

"How's Jack holding up?"

"Worried sick. He's trying to be professional and keep his emotions out of it, but you can see it's tearing him apart," Sam tells her.

"I can only imagine. If it was Reggie, I don't know how I'd cope," Viv responds.

"Is there anything new?" Sam asks.

"Just the CCTV. Let's hope they get something from it," Viv says. They make their way to the tech room. Jack is already leaning over the shoulder of the technician.

"There. That's him! That's Dillon. And that looks like Hanna, with her back to the camera. Who's she talking to? Can we get a clearer picture of that guy?" Jack asks, pointing to the guy on the screen.

With a few clicks of the mouse, the picture is zoomed in. A better but somewhat more grainy picture of the third person appears on screen.

"Can you print that off for me please and get me copies?" he asks the tech.

"No problem," he replies.

Armed with the photo, Jack returns to the office where Martin, Danny and Elena have been busy making calls and checking out Kevin's contacts in New York. He passes the photo around each of them.

"I need to find out who this guy is?" Jack tells them.

Elena studies the photo.

"Hold on a minute," she says standing up and walking back to her desk. She enters some information on her PC and brings up a file with a photo attached.

"Could this be him?" she calls over to Jack. Jack follows her over and looks at the picture.

"Could be. Who is this guy?" Jack asks.

"His name is Javier Gonzalez, known associate of Chris Dillon. He's done time for possession, possession with intent, GBH, armed robbery, the list goes on," she tells him.

"What the hell has he got her involved in?" Jack snaps, banging his fist on the desk. "Sorry," he apologises, when he notices Elena jump. "Em, do we have a current address?"

"According to his driver's licence it's Apartment F, 197 Brook Street," she tells him.

"Good work. Danny, you're with me," he shouts, as he makes is way urgently to the elevator. Danny grabs his coat and runs to catch up.


	4. Chapter 4

Within 45 minutes, Danny and Jack pull up outside 197 Brook Street. Darkness has descended on the city. The night is warm and humid. They make their way to the third floor. As they approach apartment F, they can hear some type of disturbance inside. Danny instinctively feels for his weapon. Jack approaches the door. Then a female voice howls to be left alone. "Get away from me," she screams.

Jack recognises the voice as Hanna's and without a second thought bursts through the apartment door, his arms outstretched, weapon drawn. He's relieved to see Hanna standing over by the window, unharmed. There doesn't appear to be anyone else in the room. Seeing his frightened child, he drops his guard and fails to react quickly enough when a figure rushes towards him from his left hand side. He is sent crashing to the floor and hits his head on the corner of the open door. He blacks out.

The assailant continues through the door and crashes into Danny. He hits him with a shoulder in the chest and knocks him into the wall of the corridor. Danny is winded and watches as the young man run down the stairs. Danny regains his breath, struggles to his feet and follows him.

"Daddy, are you okay?" Hanna cries, kneeling over her father, who is starting to come around. He had only been out for a matter of seconds. He moans as he reaches up to touch the side of his head. It was bleeding quite heavily, as most scalp injuries do. He stares at his bloody fingers, still stunned from the blow.

"Daddy, can you get up?" she asks, grabbing his arm.

"I'm okay," he says, looking into the frightened eyes of his little girl. Hanna helps him to his feet. He's a bit shaky and leans on her for support. He looks at her, pulls her close and hugs her as if his life depended on it.

"Thank God, you're alright," he says, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm so sorry," the trembling teen sobs.

"It's over now," Jack reassures her. He's starting to regain his senses and only then realises Danny's not there.

"Where's Danny?" he asks Hanna.

"He chased after that guy, Javier," Hanna informs him.

Jack takes out his cell and phones Danny. He is relieved when Danny answers.

"Where are you?" Jack asks.

"I lost him in the alley, two blocks from the apartment," Danny replies, somewhat out of breath, "Are you okay?"

"I will be," Jack replies, touching his wound.

"And Hanna?" Danny asks.

"Shaken, but unhurt. She'll be fine. Come on back. We'll put out an APB," Jack tells him.

Danny hangs up and holsters his weapon and starts back up the alley towards the street. The alley is dimly lit and littered with garbage. He hears a noise behind him and is about to turn when a piercing pain takes his breath away. Immediately he realises what has happened and screams in pain as the cold steel of a blade is suddenly pulled from his lower back. He arches his back and tries to turn but his knees start to give away. His attacker steps away and watches the young agent crumple to the ground. He stands and looks down at his victim. Danny looks defiantly into his eyes before his attacker runs toward the street.

Danny is struggling to stay conscious. He realises the desperation of his situation. No one will find him or hear him down here. He has to get help before he bleeds to death. Fighting the pain, he reaches into his jacket pocket and finds his cell phone. He scrolls to Jacks number and calls him. Jack answers immediately.

"Yeah," Jack answers. No one speaks. He looks at the caller ID. The call is coming from Danny's phone.

"Danny? Are you there? Can you hear me?" Jack shouts down the phone.

Danny could hear Jack, but he could barely manage to speak.

"Jack….help me," he says weakly.

"What? Danny, what's wrong?" Jack asks, barely able to hear him..

"Been stabbed….in alley…I need help…." is all he manages before passing out.

"Shit. Danny! Hold on, I'm coming," Jack shouts, realising his agent is in serious trouble. He turns to Hanna,

"Danny's hurt. I have to go find him. You wait here. Lock the door," he tells her before racing from the building. He reaches the street. Alley, two blocks…. which direction? He chooses south and prays he's right. He runs the entire distance. The exertion makes him light headed. He's still feeling the effects of the knock on the head. He reaches an alley. He peers down into the darkness. Nothing obvious. He walks cautiously down the alley, weapon drawn. Then he sees him. A motionless figure in a beige suit, lying close to a dumpster. He calls 911 and then approaches his colleague.

"Danny? I'm here kid. Come on, wake up for me," he says, kneeling down beside him. He feels his neck for a pulse. It's there. He rolls Danny over to try and see where the injury is. It's obvious from the growing bloodstain on the back of his suit that he's losing a lot of blood. Jack realises that he has to try and stem the blood flow. He removes his jacket and tears a strip of cloth from his shirt. He presses the cloth tightly against the wound.

He continues to talk to Danny, but gets no response from the injured agent. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the ambulance turns down the alley. Jack stands up and waves his arms to get their attention. It stops and a paramedic smartly alights the vehicle.

"He's been stabbed," he says, motioning toward Danny. "I can't stop the bleeding."

The paramedic kneels beside Danny and gets to work. The other approaches Jack.

"Sir, are you okay?" he asks, seeing the blood stains on his shirt collar.

"What? Me? Yeah, I'm fine. Just look after him," Jack replies, confused as to why he was concerned with him when he thought it was obvious who was hurt.

Jack then remembers that he has left Hanna alone in the apartment. She's no doubt frightened. He phones Samantha and asks her and Viv to go to the apartment and explain to her what has happened. He also asks Sam if she would mind looking after her at her apartment until he got back. He would have to go with Danny to the hospital. Sam tells him that she'll gladly look after Hanna for the night.

Pretty soon, Danny is ready for transport.

"You had better come with us and have that head laceration seen to," one of the paramedics suggests to Jack.

Jack climbs into the ambulance and accompanies Danny on the journey to the hospital. After they arrive, Danny is rushed in to a trauma room while Jack is shepherded into an exam room. He sits and waits impatiently to be seen. He waits for what seems like ages, until eventually a young intern enters to examine him.

"Do you know how my friend is? He was brought in with a stab wound," Jack asks impatiently.

"No, sir. I'm sorry I don't," he says, examining the wound in Jack's scalp. "That's quite deep. It'll need to be stitched. How do you feel? Any headache, nausea, dizziness?" the intern asks, as he shines a light into Jacks eyes.

"No. Really, I'm fine," Jack insists, wincing at the doctor's touch.

"You may have a mild concussion. You'll need to take it easy," the doctor advises him. "Right, lets get this stitched for you," he says, as he begins to anaesthetise the area around the wound.

"Can you please find out for me how my agent is? His name's Danny Taylor," Jack asks once more.

"I'll get a nurse to find out for you," the doctor replies. "Would you mind?" he asks the pretty nurse standing close by. A few minutes later she returns.

"He's been stabilised. They're prepping him for surgery at the moment," she tells him.

"That's good, right?" Jack asks.

"Yeah, sound like it," the doctor assures him.

**_Note from Author: Hope you're enjoying my little fic. Sorry if I'm dragging it out a bit. Truth be told, I'm not quite sure where this is going yet. Reviews appreciated._**


	5. Chapter 5

Meanwhile, Vivienne and Samantha arrive at Apartment F, where Hanna is waiting. They knock on the door.

"Hanna? It's Vivienne Johnson with the FBI. Your Dad sent us to take care of you," Vivienne calls through the closed door.

Slowly, the door opens and two frightened, tear filled eyes appear through the gap.

"Where's my Dad? Is he OK?" she asks, opening the door for the agents to enter.

"He's fine. Another agent was injured and he had to go to the hospital with him," Samantha explains. "He called us and asked us to take you with us, until he gets back from the hospital. I'm Samantha," Sam says, shaking the teenager's hand.

"Hi," Hanna says awkwardly, shaking Sam's hand.

"So, is there any stuff you want to bring with you?" Sam asks.

"I can't leave. Kevin will be back soon and I have to warn him," Hanna replies.

"Warn him about what?" Viv asks, a little puzzled.

"The guy who broke in, he was looking for Kevin. He kept saying that Kevin had taken something that was his and that he wanted it back," Hanna explained.

"What did Kevin take?" Sam asks.

"I don't know. I'd never met the guy before. He didn't say much, only that he'd kill Kevin if he didn't get it back," Hanna tells her, starting to cry.

"Do you know where Kevin is now?" Viv asks.

"At work I think. He got a courier job somewhere downtown," Hanna replies.

"Do you know where?" Viv asks. Hanna shakes her head.

"Does he have a cell phone?" Sam asks.

"Yes," Hanna nods.

"Call him and tells him to get back here urgently," Viv says.

Hanna takes out her cell and makes the call.

"It's going straight to messaging," she says to the agents. "Kev, it's me. Call me as soon as you get this. It's important," she leaves a voice message for him.

"Give me the number abd I'll keep trying it," Viv offers. "Why don't you and Samantha go home, get something to eat and I'll wait for Kevin to turn up."

"Yeah, come on. We'll get some take out and wait for your Dad at my place," Sam encourages her.

"Sure. Just a minute," Hanna says, before grabbing her backpack and jacket from the bedroom. "I'm ready," she says, heading for the door.

"See you later," Sam says to Vivienne.

Back at the hospital, the doctor finishes stitching Jacks head wound and shortly after that, he is discharged. He enquires after Danny and is told that he was taken to surgery on the third floor. He takes the elevator and finds the nurses station on the third floor. He quickly find out that Danny is out of surgery and is in recovery. Jack is relieved to be told that there were no complications and that his agent would make a full recovery. Nursing staff advise him to come back the next morning, because Danny would still be groggy from the anaesthesia and wouldn't be up for visitors.

As he is about to leave the third floor, he bumps into Martin and Elena coming out of the elevator.

"Hey Jack. Is he okay? Can I see him?" Elena asks anxiously, grabbing Jack's arm.

"He's out of surgery. He's going to be fine," Jack reassures her. "They might let you see him in a while."

"What about you, Jack? Are you okay?" Martin asks, pointing to the bloodstains on his collar.

"Oh yeah, a few stitches, that's all," Jack tells him.

"And Hanna?"

"She's with Sam. I'm on my way over to her place to pick her up now. Tell Danny I'll call by in the morning," he says, before taking his leave. He leaves the hospital building and hails a cab to Sam's apartment.

Wearily, Jack enters Sam's building and drags himself up the stairs to the first floor apartment. He knocks on the door. Sam opens it and puts her finger to her lips.

"Sshhh," she says, pointing to a sleeping Hanna on the sofa. "She's exhausted."

Jack quietly shuffles over to his daughter and brushes her hair gently with his hand. He is so relieved that she's okay. He had never been so scared in his life, not knowing where she was.

"Come over here and sit down, before you fall down," Sam orders, noticing the paleness of Jack's features. He doesn't argue and takes a seat at the kitchen table.

"Do you want a drink?" Sam asks him, touching him affectionately on the shoulder.

"Sure. A scotch if you have it," Jack replies.

"How did that happen?" Sam asks, referring to the stitched wound just inside Jack's hairline.

"The kid jumped me and I fell and hit off the door, I think," he tells her.

"Ice?" she asks, grabbing a half bottle of scotch from the kitchen cupboard.

"Yeah, thanks," Jack replies.

"How's Danny?" Sam enquires.

"He's going to be fine," he tells her.

"Thank God. Did he give a description of the perp?" she asks him.

"Not yet. I'll talk to him in the morning," Jack replies, taking a large gulp from the glass of scotch. "How's Hanna? Did she say anything?"

"She's okay. Worried about Kevin and you of course. She thinks you're mad with her."

"Mad? You could say that, but right now, I'm just glad I got her back in one piece," he admits. "Damn, I never called Maria."

"Oh, it's okay. Hanna called her from here earlier. She wants her on a flight home tomorrow. Hanna wants to stay in New York though," Sam informs him.

"I'll talk to her in the morning," Jack says, standing up to leave. "We'd better get going. I'll go wake her."

"No, don't," Sam responds. "Let her sleep. You should stay here tonight," she suggests.

"Eh, thanks but you only have one bed," Jack says hesitantly.

"I know," Sam replies, suggestively.

Jack raises one eyebrow in surprise. Did that mean what he hoped it meant? He sure hoped so. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"C'mon, you look exhausted," Sam says, motioning towards the bedroom door.

"You could say that. I really could do with a shower first," he tells her, following her to the bedroom.

"No problem," she says, as she helps him take off his jacket. "I'll get you some fresh towels," she offers as she goes to the airing cupboard in the kitchen.

Jack loosens his belt and begins to undo the buttons on his shirt. He sits on the bed to take off his shoes. He decides to put his head on the pillow, just for a moment. His head is pounding, so he shuts his eyes. It's only a matter of minutes until Samantha returns.

"Here you go," she says, as she playfully tosses the bundle of towels onto the bed.

"Jack?"

He doesn't budge. He's fast asleep. "There's always next time, I guess," she sighs. She removes his shoes and covers him with a quilt. Well, if nothing else, she would at least get to share a bed with Jack again, even if it wasn't exactly what she had hoped.

They both slept soundly that night. Sam was woken just after 7am when her cell phone rings.

"Yeah," she answers sleepily.

"Samantha? It's Viv. Kevin Dillon still hasn't shown up," Viv tells her.

"OK. What now?" she asks.

"He could've gone to his brother's place or maybe he saw the activity around the apartment and got spooked. Look, I'm off home for a few hours sleep. I'll see you back at the office later. By the way, any news on Danny?" Viv asks.

"Jack said that he's going to be fine. Should be out in a few days," Sam informs her.

"That's great."

"I'll get Martin and Elena to call out to Chris Dillon's place this morning. Sleep well. I'll see you later," Sam says before hanging up. She's about to lie back down when she notices two dark eyes watching her.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" she asks.

"That's okay. I haven't had such a nice wake up call in a long time," he replies, turning towards her.

"Did you sleep alright?" Sam asks, lying back down, onto Jack's shoulder.

"Great, thanks. I take it I fell asleep before we, well…you know..," Jack says, a little embarrassed.

"Well, it's not the greatest compliment for a girl, inviting a guy to share her bed and he falls asleep before she even undresses," she laughs.

"Yeah, well it had been a long day and I was injured," Jack says in his defence.

"I'm only kidding, Jack," she says, kissing him and lying back on her pillow.

"Well I'm awake now," he tells her, as he leans onto his elbows and looks down on her.

"Yeah, unfortunately, so is your daughter," Sam tells him. "I can hear her in the kitchen."

"Great!" Jack mutters as he flops back down on the pillows. Sam rolls out of the bed and pulls on some sweats and a t-shirt. "I think I'll grab that shower now," Jack says to Sam as she leaves the bedroom. "A nice cold one," he calls after her.

Sam sniggers as she closes the door and makes her way into the living area.

"Good morning, Hanna. How did you sleep?" Sam greets Hanna.

"No bad, thanks. Did my Dad get back yet?" she asks immediately.

"Late last night. You were asleep. He didn't want to wake you, so he stayed here," Sam explains.

"With you? Are you guys…you know, together?" she asks awkwardly.

"Us? No. You were on the couch. There wasn't anywhere else for him," Sam explains, hoping she not gone as red as she feels.

"Right," Hanna replies, seeing right through her explanation.

"He's just having a shower. He'll be out in a minute. You hungry?" Sam asks, quickly changing the subject.

"A little," Hanna answers.

"Bacon and eggs sound okay?" Sam asks.

"Sure, thanks," Hanna says, while searching for her cell phone. She checks it, hoping there's a message from Kevin. Nothing! She tries calling him, but he's still not answering. She then turns to Sam.

"That lady you were with last night, did she call? Did Kevin come back?" she asks.

"She phoned at 7am. He still hadn't shown up by then," Sam tells her.

"He's in trouble, I know he is. He's not answering his phone. Something's happened, I just know it has," Hanna blurts out.

With that, Jack emerges from the bedroom, looking refreshed. His clothes, on the other hand, were another story. His pants had that fetching, slept in look and his shirt was torn and bloodied from the night before.

"Good morning, baby," he says, kissing Hanna on the forehead.

"What do you look like?" Hanna says, smiling at his clothing.

"Give over. I don't have anything else until I get home," he replies indignantly.

"I might have something you can borrow," Sam tells him, as she heads to the bedroom. She returns with a black, FBI issue t-shirt, size large. Jack recognises it as being one he probably left behind on a previous occasion. He smiles as she hands it to him. He changes quickly in the living room.

"How's your head?" Hanna asks.

"I got a few stitches," he tells her, bending over to show her his wound.

"Cool," she says, in typical teenage fashion.

"Sam tells me you spoke to Mom last night," Jack says, sitting down beside her.

"Yeah. She was real mad. She wants me on a flight today. Don't make me go back yet, Daddy. Kevin's missing and I want to help you find him," she pleads.

"Well, we will need your help. I'll call Mom and explain that I need you here for a while," Jack promises.

"Thanks, Dad," she responds, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"Hanna, you need to be honest with me though. Kevin could be in a lot of trouble. We need to find him. You can start by telling me who the guy at the apartment was," Jack quizzes his daughter.

"His name is Javier. I only met him yesterday. Kevin said that he had arranged for us to stay with him for a couple of nights. He helped Kevin find the job," Hanna explains.

"What do you know about this job?" Jack asks, in full FBI mode.

"All I know is that it was a delivery job."

"What kind of deliveries?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask."

"So why was Javier getting rough last night then?"

"He kept saying that Kevin had taken a package from him and that he wanted it back."

"What was in the package?" Jack presses.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about any package. He said that he'd kill Kevin if he doesn't get it back," Hanna tells her Dad, with tears in her eyes.

"It sounds like Kevin's in way over his head. Have you tried calling him?"

"Yeah. Last night and this morning. He's not answering,"

"Don't worry. He's probably keeping his head down," Jack says, in an effort to comfort his daughter. "How about we have some breakfast and then swing by my place. We'll go to my office and see if they can trace Kevin's phone."

"Okay," she replies before joining Samantha in the kitchen.


	6. Chapter 6

Once they finish breakfast, Jack and Hanna thank Samantha and start off on their way to Jack's apartment. Hanna had never been to her Dad's new pad.

"So, what do you think?" Jack asks, closing the door behind him.

"Nice. It's small, but I like it," Hanna replies enthusiastically. He had moved in shortly after she and her Mom and sister had moved to Chicago. Jack picked up some shirts and a pizza box that were lying around, in an attempt to make it look more presentable.

"Sorry about the mess. I left in a hurry the other day," he says in excuse. Hanna smiles to herself, knowing right well that it's always like this. He never was one for housework. Her Dad still hasn't mentioned the running away incident. This makes her nervous. She worried that he was building up to it and expected him to explode into a rage at any time.

She waits uncomfortably on the sofa while he goes and changes his clothes. He comes back in his trusty black suit and tie combination. He sits beside her on the sofa and turns to her with a serious expression on his face.

"I want you to promise me something," he begins. Hanna just looks at him in trepidation. "Never, ever do anything so stupid again. You have no idea what you put your Mom and I through. I'm not going to lecture you on the danger you faced. I think you saw that for yourself. You're a smart kid, Hanna. Act like it. If you need to talk, I'm here, okay?" Jack says, hugging his daughter.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I really am," she says, stifling a sob.

"I know you are. Right then, that's all I'm going to say on the subject. Let's go to the office. Actually, first I need to stop by the hospital on the way," he tells her.

They chat in the car on the way to the hospital. It's the longest conversation they've had in years, probably ever. Jack soon realises that Hanna isn't the little girl that left Chicago 2 years ago. She had opinions on many things and was well able to get her point across. She was so like her mother in that regard. She was confident but from what he could see, a little naïve. He could see that she was changing, growing up. He didn't like it but there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

They park the car close to the hospital and walk a couple of blocks to the entrance. They find Danny's room and knock gently before entering. Danny's sitting up in bed when they go in.

"Hey," Jack says, approaching the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore, but I'll live. They tell me I can get outta here in a few days."

"That's great. You know Hanna, don't you? The one that's been keeping us on our toes," Jack says, pushing his daughter to the fore.

"Yeah, hi Hanna," Danny replies.

"Hi. I'm really sorry you got hurt," she says genuinely. Jack gently squeezes her shoulders in acknowledgement of her concern.

"It's not your fault. What? Has your Dad been giving you a hard time?" Danny smiles, trying to antagonise Jack.

"No. Not yet at least," she says, smiling nervously at her Dad.

"Don't worry. We'll talk about it. We just have a few things to sort out first, like where young Kevin's disappeared to?" Jack responds.

"He didn't turn up?" Danny asks.

"Not yet. According to Hanna, he took something that this Javier guy wants back," Jack begins to fill Danny in.

"Dad, can I go and get a soda?" Hanna interrupts.

"Sure. You need some money?" Jack asks, handing her some loose change from his jacket pocket.

Hanna looks at the paltry amount but doesn't complain. She knows she's walking on thin ice at the moment.

"Thanks," she says, turning and leaving the room. Jack continues to tell Danny the latest on the case.

Out in the hall, Hanna is standing looking at the vending machine, trying to decide what to buy, when her cell phone rings. Caller I.D. reads Kev.

"Kevin, is that you?" she answers.

"Hi Han, it's me," he replies.

"Where are you?"

"Somewhere safe."

"Javier was looking for you. He's mad as hell. What did you do?"

"I messed up, babe. I'm sorry I go you involved. I saw the cops at the apartment. Did he hurt you?"

"No. I'm okay. My Dad arrived and scared him off. One of the agents got hurt though. We're at the hospital right now. Why don't you meet us here?"

"I can't, Han. I need to get outta here. He's going to kill me."

"My Dad can help, Kevin. Please tell me where you are."

"Can you get your hands on some cash?"

"Cash? I don't have any. You know that."

"What about your Dad? Can you get some from him?"

"He'll want to know what for."

"I didn't mean ask him. What about his credit card? Could you get hold of it?"

"I don't know. Maybe?"

"Try, babe. Please."

"Kevin, if you're in trouble, my Dad can protect you."

"He couldn't protect me from this, and I can't go to jail. Please, I just need to get out of the city."

"Okay," Hanna pauses. "I'll try. I'll call you back," she tells him before ending the call.

She sits in a chair near the vending machine. Now she's really confused. Kevin trusts her. She doesn't want to let him down, but she doesn't want him to get hurt either. She's still lost in her contemplations when Jack calls her.

"C'mon. Let's go," Jack motions towards the elevator. "What, you couldn't decide?" he asks, noticing that she has no drink.

"What? Eh, no," is all she can manage.

"Okay, what's up?" Jack asks, sensing a change in her demeanour.

Hanna doesn't answer, just shrugs her shoulders.

"I am an investigator, Hanna. I can tell when someone is hiding something," he reminds her.

She realises she has no choice. She cannot help Kevin on her own.

"Kevin called," she tells him, as they step into the elevator.

"He's okay then?" Jack enquires.

"Kinda. He's really scared. He asked me if I could get money from you so he can get out of New York," she explains.

"Did you tell him that I can help him?" Jack wonders.

"Yeah. He thinks you'll put him in prison," she replies.

"In prison? Why?"

"I've no idea. He's mixed up in something bad," she begins to cry a little.

"Did he tell you where he was?"

"No, but I have to call him back when I get my hands on your credit card or some cash," she informs him.

"Okay. We can work with that. When we get to the office, I'll get you to call him. You can tell him you got some money and then arrange to meet him. When you meet him, I'll be with you," Jack explains.

"He won't like it," she tells him.

"Right now he doesn't really have a choice. This way he might live to see his next birthday," Jack comments.

They drive in silence to the office. Each of them has a lot on their minds. When they get there, Martin, Samantha and Elena are already there. Jack asks Hanna to wait in his office while he talks to his team. He tells them that Kevin has made contact and of his plan for Hanna to meet him. He asks Martin and Elena to provide backup at the meeting point. Jack then arranges for a trace to be placed on Hanna's phone. When everything is in place, he allows Hanna to call Kevin. The rest of the team listen to the call.

"It's me," Hanna says nervously.

"What took you so long?" Kevin asks, somewhat agitated.

"I had to wait for my Dad to leave his wallet down. I have it now. There's about $200 and his credit card," she lies.

"That's great, Han. I knew you wouldn't let me down," he praises.

"Where are you?"

"There's an old, shut down bakery on 28th Street. It's beside a diner called 'Hal's'. If you go around the side there's a doorway. I'll be inside."

"I'll do my best. See you soon," she tells him and hangs up.

Hanna looks to her Dad for approval.

"You did great," he assures her. "Right, listen up. The plan is, I'll drive Hanna and we go in together. Hopefully he'll hear me out and come quietly. You two will wait outside in case he tries to run. Just remember, he's just a frightened kid. He hasn't, as far as we know, committed a crime, so go easy on him," Jack reminds his agents. They grab their gear and make their way to 28th Street.


	7. Chapter 7

On the way to the meeting, Jack suggests that Hanna waits in the car while he talks to Kevin alone. She's having none of it. She insists on seeing Kevin. She argues her case very convincingly, just like her mother. Jack reluctantly gives in. He radio's Martin and Elena to check their position before they leave the car. They've waiting on the side street. Jack and Hanna alight the car and walk up to the back door. It's obvious that planks of wood, which were once used to board up the door, had recently been removed. Jack leads the way and pushes the door open. It creaks loudly. He steps in and quickly scans his surroundings. It's badly lit and cluttered with crates and boxes. There doesn't appear to be anyone around. Jack indicates for Hanna to enter and to call Kevin. She obliges.

"Kevin!"

Jacks notices a figure moving in the shadows. His instincts make him reach for his weapon but refrains from drawing it.

"Why did you bring him? I thought I could trust you," he shouts.

"We just want to help you," Hanna shouts back.

"I told you, I won't go to prison," Kevin shouts, slowly emerging from the shadows, pistol in hand. Jack hadn't expected this. He pulls protectively Hanna behind him.

"No one's going to prison, Kevin. Put the gun down before someone gets hurt," Jack warns.

"I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want you to leave us alone. I need to talk to Hanna," Kevin shouts at him.

"There's no way I'm leaving her here with you while you have a gun," Jack tells him, slowly approaching him, his hands raised. With each step Jack takes, Kevin backs away.

"Don't come any closer," he warns, his hands trembling.

"Just give me the gun, Kevin, then you can talk to Hanna," Jack promises.

"Back off! Please. I don't want to …" Kevin begins. Unfortunately he doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence. He stumbles over a broken pallet on the ground. As he falls, his weapon goes off. He doesn't realise what he's done until he stands up again. He hears Hanna screaming and sees her kneeling over the bleeding body of her father.

"You shot him!" she yells, looking fearfully into his eyes. "He's my Dad and you shot him."

"I didn't mean to. Oh God. I swear, it just went off," he cries over and over.

Kevin stands there in shock as Hanna tries to help her Dad.

"Please be okay, please don't die," she repeats to her Dad.

Just then Jack's eyes flicker and open with a start and he takes a sudden loud breath. He stares wide-eyed straight at Hanna, breathing rapidly.

"You're okay!" she says to him, as he groans and tries to sit up.

"Son-of-a bitch!" he exclaims, as he grabs his right shoulder and manages to raise himself into a sitting position. He decides it's best not to try and stand, as he's feeling a bit light headed.

"I can't believe you shot me," he says looking weakly at Kevin. Kevin cannot look him in the eye and says nothing. He just stands there, staring at the ground, shaking.

Just then, Martin and Elena burst in waving their weapons. They had heard the shot from the car.

"Put the gun down," Elena shouts. "I said drop it. Now!"

Kevin immediately does as he is told.

"Put your hands on your head and turn around," she orders. He does as she says and she approaches him and cuffs him. Once Elena has Kevin restrained, Martin holsters his weapon and checks on Jack's condition.

"Looks like you were lucky, Boss," Martin tells him, placing his hand on his back. "It's a through and through."

"Lucky? Since when is getting shot lucky?" Jack asks crankily.

Martin smiles at Hanna and raises his brow.

"Is he going to be okay?" she asks with great concern.

"He will be, once we get him to hospital. I'll call an ambulance," Martin tells her, as he turns and phones 911.

Kevin keeps repeating that he didn't mean to shoot Jack, begging Elena to believe him. Elena wasn't willing to believe him. Then Jack speaks up.

"It's true. It was an accident. He was handing me the gun when he tripped backwards and the gun went off," Jack tells her. So it wasn't the whole truth, but he was willing to give the kid a second chance.

While they wait for the ambulance, Martin applies pressure on Jack's wound to stem the blood flow. Needless to say, Jack isn't being the most co-operative of patients.

"Help me up," he says to Martin.

"I think you should stay where you are until the ambulance gets here," Martin advises.

"Just help me up, Martin," he insists.

Martin gives in, throwing a glance in the direction of Elena. He takes Jack's elbow and helps him to his feet. Jack lets out a groan as the movement sends a wave of pain through his upper body. He shuffles slowly over to Kevin. Kevin flinches as Jack approaches.

"So, Kevin, I think you owe us an explanation," Jack says to the youngster.

"Sorry, what?" he replies nervously.

"What did you take? Whatever it was, it was pretty important to Gonzalez. He is willing to kill to get it back. He stabbed one of my agents, you know," Jack tells him.

"I found a package in his apartment, at the back of a closet. It was covered in dust. Looked like it hadn't been touched in years. I didn't think he'd miss it," Kevin tells him.

"What was in it?" Jack asks.

" Some coke. Not much, but I thought I'd be able to sell it and make a couple of grand. Oh yeah, that gun was in it as well," he explains.

"That's all? Doesn't seem like a reason to kill to me," Jack comments.

"Maybe it's not the drugs, maybe it's the pistol," Elena suggests.

"Get it checked with ballistics," Jack recommends, as he sinks onto a crate.

"You okay, Jack?" Elena asks.

"Dizzy, that's all," Jack responds.

It isn't long until the ambulance arrives. Hanna accompanies Jack to the hospital. Elena and Martin take Kevin back to headquarters for questioning.

Later that evening, Jack is out of surgery and is sitting up in his hospital bed. He's talking to his daughter when Samantha arrives to visit.

"Hi," she says, approaching the foot of the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asks. She feels like a gawky schoolgirl trying to talk to the high school heartthrob. She's not sure how to behave with Jack's daughter in the room.

"I'm good," Jack replies.

"I'm glad," she says, really wanting to hug him and show him just how glad.

Silence.

"I need to ask you a favour," Jack says, breaking the silence.

"Sure," Sam replies.

"I have to stay here overnight. Would it be alright if Hanna stayed with you again tonight?"

"Of course. I'd be glad of the company," Sam smiles. Hanna returns the smile. She was watching their interaction with great curiosity. It reminded her of teenage dilemmas she witnessed most days in school. Was she the only one who could see the spark between Sam and her Dad? An obvious attraction existed. What were they afraid of? Hmmm, adults, really!!!

"Where's Kevin?" she decides to ask.

"He's being questioned. He's fine. Oh yeah, Jack, the gun he shot you with was used in a triple homicide, two years ago. The shooter was never identified. It would explain why Javier Gonzalez was so anxious to get it back. Police are looking for him now," Sam informs him.

"Explains a lot, alright," Jack acknowledges.

"Well, we'd better get going Hanna, and let your Dad get some rest," Sam suggests.

"Sure, I'll see you in the morning, Dad," Hanna promises, as she leans in and kisses him on the cheek.

"See you tomorrow," Sam says, looking longingly at Jack.

"Oh, kiss him for God sake," Hanna pipes up, stunning both Jack and Sam. Neither know how to react.

"Hanna!" is all Jack can think of.

"C'mon. It's so obvious. You like her. She likes you. Seems simples enough to me," Hanna continues. "Well go on then, kiss him."

Sam hesitates, puce with embarrassment and then decides what the heck. She leans down and kisses Jack gently on the lips. Jack responds appropriately and returns the kiss.

"There, now that wasn't that hard, was it?" Hanna says, delighted that her pushing had worked.

Jack and Samantha just look at her and laugh at the whole situation..

"Goodnight," Sam whispers into his ear, before turning and leaving with Hanna.

What a day!

THE END


End file.
